Natural history

See below for a selection of the latest books from Natural history category. Presented with a red border are the Natural history books that have been lovingly read and reviewed by the experts at Lovereading. With expert reading recommendations made by people with a passion for books and some unique features Lovereading will help you find great Natural history books and those from many more genres to read that will keep you inspired and entertained. And it's all free!

Call it a daily meditation on the world around us for nature-lovers and nature newbies alike, An Irish Nature Year gleefully explores the small mysteries of the seasons as they unfold - Who's cutting perfect circles in your roses? Which birds wear feathery trousers? And what, exactly, is an amethyst deceiver? An Irish Nature Year is an illustrated day book filled with plants, animals, birds and creepy-crawlies from all over the island of Ireland. With one short entry for every day of the year, nature columnist Jane Powers serves up 5 minutes' worth of wonderment to enjoy on your coffee break, on your commute, or to relax with at bedtime. From 'weeds' in the pavement cracks and surprising inhabitants of vacant lots, to unusual finds along our shoreline and hedgerows, you'll find more of the natural world to admire right under your nose, and relish the little things that mark the passing of the seasons across the ever-changing Irish landscape.

- Compact, easy-to-use format: the ideal pocket-sized travelling companion. - Covers 252 species of snakes, lizards, crocodiles and turtles of India. - Authoritative text by an experienced field herpetologist describes key features for identification, plus natural history notes for each species. - One or more stunning colour photographs for each species, showing diagnostic features. - Includes chapters on searching for reptiles and surviving snake bites.

- Compact, easy-to-use format: the ideal pocket-sized travelling companion. - Covers over 180 species of snakes, lizards, crocodiles and turtles of Borneo. - Authoritative text by an experienced field herpetologist describes key features for identification, plus natural history notes for each species. - One or more stunning colour photographs for each species, showing diagnostic features. - Includes chapters on searching for reptiles and surviving snake bites.

Winner, 2020 PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay. An impassioned call for recognizing and preserving the ecological wonders of the Allegheny PlateauYosemite National Park, Louisiana's bayou, the rocky coasts of New England, the desert Southwest-America's more dramatic locations are frequently celebrated for their natural beauty, but far less has been written about Ohio's unique and beautiful environment. Author Deborah Fleming, who has lived in rural Ohio and cared for its land for decades, shares fourteen interrelated essays, blending her own experiences with both scientific and literary research. Resurrection of the Wild discusses both natural and human histories as it focuses on the Allegheny Plateau and hill country in Ohio's eastern counties. These lyrical meditations delve into life on Fleming's farm, the impacts of the mining and drilling industries, fox hunting, homesteading families, the lives of agriculturalist Louis Bromfield and John Chapman (better known as Johnny Appleseed), and Ohio's Amish community. Fleming finds that our very concept of freedom must be redefined to include preservation and respect for the natural world. Ultimately, Resurrection of the Wild becomes a compelling argument for the importance of ecological preservation in Ohio, and Fleming's perspective will resonate with readers both within and beyond this forgotten state's borders.

From the Azteca to the Appaloosa, Choctaw to the Palomina, Brumbys in Australia to the Mongolian, from rare breeds such as the Polish Konik to the semi-feral Pyrenean Pottok, Horses celebrates a wide variety of breeds from all around the world. Ranging from dressage to police horses, from racing horses to rodeo and polo, the book looks at the anatomy and lifecycle of foals and yearlings, colts and fillies, stallions, mares and geldings around the globe. It includes draft horses and warmbloods, light horses and thoroughbreds, gaited horses, ponies and breeds that have become feral. Each photograph is accompanied by a caption with fascinating information about the characteristics of each breed. Illustrated with 200 outstanding colour photographs, Horses is an exquisitely produced work packed with lively information about this beloved animal.

Animals don't exist to teach us things, but that is what they have always done, and most of what they teach us is what we think we know about ourselves. From the bestselling author of H is for Hawk comes Vesper Flights, a transcendent collection of essays about the human relationship to the natural world. Helen Macdonald brings together a collection of her best-loved writing along with new pieces covering a thrilling range of subjects. There are essays here on headaches, on catching swans, on hunting mushrooms, on twentieth-century spies, on numinous experiences and high-rise buildings; on nests and wild pigs and the tribulations of farming ostriches. Vesper Flights is a book about observation, fascination, time, memory, love and loss and how we make the world around us. Moving and frank, personal and political, it confirms Helen Macdonald as one of this century's greatest nature writers. **CHOSEN AS A SUNDAY TIMES BOOK TO WATCH OUT FOR IN 2020 AND A NEW STATESMAN BOOK TO READ IN 2020**

In Walks of a Lifetime in America's National Parks: Extraordinary Hikes in Exceptional Places, Robert and Martha Manning invite readers to explore the joys of hiking. Explaining the why, how, and where to walk and featuring first-hand descriptions of the nation's great National parks and their best hikes ranging from short day hikes to backpacking treks, and featuring scenic vistas, waterfalls, and information on lodging opportunities, this is a bucket list book for hiking in the national parks. Each chapter includes personal anecdotes, natural and cultural history, and practical tips. Every chapter is richly illustrated with color photographs and maps. The book also includes a series of twenty short, engaging essays about hiking and related matters.

The 740-mile Northern Forest Canoe Trail is the largest inland water trail in the United States. The trail follows the traditional travel routes of Native Americans, including the Wabanaki and Iroquois, as well as their Paleo-Indian ancestors. Beginning in Old Forge, New York, and ending in Fort Kent, Maine, the NFCT encompasses 58 lakes and ponds, 22 rivers and streams, 62 portages totaling more than 55-miles. With just over 347 miles, Maine is home to more of the trail than any other state and it is the wildest, least populated section. The Canoe Trail in Maine includes Umbagog, Moosehead, Rangeley, Flagstaff, Chesuncook, and Chamberlain Lakes, as well as the entire 92-mile Allagash Wilderness Waterway. This is a guide for doers, as well as dreamers. Practical information on paddling, gear, safety, plus maps will help you get started; and the beautiful photography will inspire you to prepare and help you stay motivated until it's time to head out. A paddle on the Canoe Trail is a trip through time as canoeists and kayakers discover the rich Native American and forestry history of the region, pockets of pristine wilderness, and an abundance of wildlife, including moose, bear, deer, beaver, bald eagles, and loons. It's the backwoods paddling experience of a lifetime.